Abstract
Health-care systems worldwide are experiencing a decline in elective surgical activity during the current COVID-19 pandemics. The progression of morbid conditions—especially of cancer—and the uncontained increase of waiting list for scheduled interventions are the major drawbacks. We propose a possible organization of a COVID-19 free hospital or hub, that include both patients’ and workforce’s preparation before entering the facility. The addition of a planned pathway for the whole workforce (physicians, nurses, cleaning and transporting crews, etc.) represents the basis of the program, and involves COVID-19 testing and subsequent self-isolation before entering the hospital, avoidance of work in non-COVID free areas, a strategic fractioning with a multilayer coverage system of care, periodic re-testing. Based on these suggestions, the realization of a COVID-19 free hospital could be achieved, allowing the continuation of a safe surgical activity in view of a possible restoration of non-urgent activity.
Highlights
Health-care systems worldwide are experiencing a decline in elective surgical activity during the current COVID-19 pandemics
In the countries mostly hit by its dramatic outbreak, such as Italy, the health care delivery has been abruptly redistributed to allocate human resources, beds, operating room (OR) spaces and intensive care units (ICUs) to the care of symptomatic or critically ill patients.[1]
The first response to virus spreads consisted of measures to contain the infection while attempting to preserve the routinary health-care activity, that is, dedicated triage at the emergency room (ER) units, protection gears for patients and personnel, creation of COVID-19-dedicated areas.[1,2]
Summary
Health-care systems worldwide are experiencing a decline in elective surgical activity during the current COVID-19 pandemics. Keywords Surgery, pre-admission pathway, COVID-19 transmission, restoration, urology
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